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Ukraine is losing the image of a European power created for it by the West. German Chancellor Angela Merkel would like to see the relationship of Europe and Ukraine became stronger. And Berlin is ready to help Kiev, but only with … advice. The head of German government informed about this fact at a press conference after a meeting with President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko.

"We will provide assistance by way of advice. Today we will discuss the issue of the association. We are pleased that despite these difficult times, and reforms, the country exhibits economic growth," said Merkel. Where she got the data about the rising showings in the heavily impoverished country, is unknown. Probably, she has believed Poroshenko's words. In addition, Merkel characterized as hard all the measures that the IMF has demanded from Ukraine as a precondition of granting loans.

The evolving situation in the relations between Europe and Ukraine, is puzzling. The authorities in Kiev bend over backwards in order to secure that at least one of the EU member-states helped Ukraine, in appreciation of its pro-Western aspirations. Europe pretends to be ready to help, but it is not in a hurry to do so. The logic is simple: it is high time European taxpayers money was saved, especially because everyone understands that Ukraine will never return the loans.

Recently, the focus of the EU-Ukraine dialogue has been reduced to a single item: soliciting of money. Whether the next tranche will be granted at all and under what conditions - if provided - remains to be seen.

In January 2015, the well-known billionaire investor George Soros said in an interview with TheWall Street Journal that "the ability of the West to provide financial support to Ukraine will be a crucial test of strength of "disintegrating Europe" opposing a "growing Russia". Twenty five years ago the Soviet Union collapsed while Europe united, but today the situation is quite the opposite. Consequently, Europe has failed to pass the "test of strength" referred to by George Soros.

Irrespective of how one rates the personality of Soros, there is no doubt that he is a great financier and that it is worth heeding to his point of view. Appealing to Europe, Soros was evidently panicked, knowing that things in the West were going bad.

Shortly before his statement, Soros visited Kiev. Being an ace at his job, he has easily assessed the situation in the Ukrainian economy. The adventurer Soros, the famous investor in all post-Soviet regimes, who welcomed the coup in the Ukraine, recognized that the investment to this country is a pointless undertaking. No sooner he said so and financial tranches to Kiev were seriously curtailed.

President Petro Poroshenko and other Ukrainian politicians often reiterate that their country needs the assistance from abroad because they “are waging a war for Europe”. Evidently Poroshenko engaged in self-importance overrating the role of Ukraine: war is waged not by them, but via them. The West has used the country for its own purposes: to tear Ukraine away from Russia and to move NATO eastward. Major players on the global chessboard are least interested in the fate of the Ukrainian people. Kiev politicians instead of restoring cooperation with Russia and joining the process of Eurasian integration, in other words doing what is beneficial to their national economy, fall for the temptation of odious "European choice".

No doubt according to Western plans, the Ukrainians had to fight hard with their eastern compatriots turning the conflict into a protracted one. Funding for this bloody project, of course, was also expected. The US did not hide the fact that only for preparation and execution of the "Maidan" mass demonstration they spent more than five billion dollars, not to mention contributions to the ensuing war. The West could not imagine that a significant portion of the channeled funds would dissolve in Ukraine and that it would be impossible to explain where the money has gone.

Ukraine is losing the image of the European power that was created by the West. Until recently, Ukrainian politicians were welcomed in Brussels and Washington. However, today, this goodwill is lacking.

Europe is pestered with domestic problems, which disturb its organized civic life. The EU openly demonstrates its dissatisfaction with the actions of the current Ukrainian leadership and with the results of their incompetent work as well as with their endless requests. The prospective Brexit, the influx of illegal migrants and the constant threat of terrorism, these are of prime interest to Europe today. Ukraine is lacking in this list. So the country can only wait for Europe’s promised advice.